Mindful Eating
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
Written by Tristan Anderson
Being mindful while you eat seems like a simple task. You think about what you want to eat, make it, and then enjoy it. Yet, if you take the time to be aware of your states of consciousness while you eat food, you might be surprised at how little of your consciousness is actually present on the act of eating. By becoming mindful eaters we can find a new joy in eating as well as a new relationship with our reality.
The Challenge Of Coming Into The Present
The human mind has an amazing potential to drift into elaborate fantasies, also known as day dreams. Many of us think we are present in the physical reality all the time, but often we are actually thinking and living in a mental dreamland that has no relation to the present environment. Many spiritual traditions throughout time have recognized this quality of the human mind and have sought ways to bring it back into the present moment. In Buddhism this is called being mindful. It is the art of keeping attention from wandering into the past or future and immersing awareness in the fullness of reality in the present.
Physical, Mental, And Spiritual Benefits Of Mindful Eating
Bringing mindfulness to the present moment while eating can have tremendous benefits on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels. On the physical level, eating brings nourishment to our bodies. However, the quality of nourishment we receive is affected by our state of consciousness while we eat. For example, according to Reuters Health, a supplier of health and medical news on the internet (www.reutershealth.com/wellconnected/doc31. html), research has shown that if you eat while experiencing stress, the digestive system will be disrupted. The short term effect of this is a lack of assimilation of nutrients; the long term effect if you continually eat while stressed is the potential for irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, weight gain or loss, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
Another physical benefit of eating mindfully is that the flavors of food are more fully appreciated and enjoyed. To be present with our food is to have our consciousness immersed with the subtle essences of flavor that enter us. In this state we can learn to distinguish the variety of flavors and find deep enjoyment in each one. A single bite of food can hold a vast array of information for us to process and enjoy. If we don’t chew our food well, or are constantly getting ready for the next bite, we only experience a small amount of awareness of all the different flavors, textures, and energetic qualities that food holds.
On the mental and spiritual level, when we are mindful, our awareness is naturally calm and heightened. The present moment becomes full and satisfying, which washes away anxiety and fear, and brings in peace and joy. By practicing mindful eating, reality becomes new and refreshing. The mind reaches a state of awe, similar to the experience of a lucid dream where in the midst of a normal situation, consciousness wakes up and realizes how vibrant and amazing everything is. Even the most mundane things become profound. Eating an orange, for instance, can become a gateway into bliss and higher awareness. Consider this practice described by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist teacher and practitioner, “I often teach ‘orange meditation’ to my students. We spend time sitting together, each enjoying an orange. Placing the orange on the palm of our hand, we look at it while breathing in and out, so that the orange becomes a reality. If we are not here, totally present, the orange isn't here either. When you are truly here, contemplating the orange, breathing and smiling, the orange becomes a miracle. It is enough to bring you a lot of happiness. You peel the orange, smell it, take a section, and put it in your mouth mindfully, fully aware of the juice on your tongue. This is eating an orange in mindfulness. It makes the miracle of life possible. It makes joy possible.” (www.chetday.com/mindfuleating.htm)
How often do we eat like this? All of us experience some joy in the taste of food, but how often does the act of eating unite our body/mind in an experience of joyful oneness with creation? We have seen a glimpse at some of the possibilities that can come about through mindful eating. Let us now look at techniques for how to realize these possibilities ourselves.
The Mindful Bite
Here is a technique taken from www.mindfuleating.org that you can try in order to see what happens when you eat mindfully.
As you bring food to your mouth, slow down and become aware of your movements.
Once the food is in your mouth, clear your hands. Put silverware or remaining food down.
Chew this bite with your mind in laser-sharp focus on the process. Concentrate on the taste of the food and the act of eating. Don't do anything else while you're chewing. Simply chew and pay attention.
Keep chewing until the food is uniformly smooth. Use this consistency of the food as a signal to swallow.
After you swallow, but before you bring more food to your mouth, rest for a few seconds, thereby inserting a pause into your eating.
Amazing results may not come immediately, but as you continue to eat in this way, the mind and senses become trained to go deeper and deeper into the present. Another way to heighten the mindful bite is to practice mindfulness during other times of the day or night. By increasing mindfulness in general it becomes less of a practice and more a way of life that occurs spontaneously.
Raw food is great for reducing and controlling sugar intake like people with diabetes must do. In the beginning one should be mindful of the things put into ones body. If it is not organic it is probably not food. Cancer results from free radical damage caused by GMO or processed foods. You don’t need to be a chef to begin preparing raw foods, get a cook book online or the library. You do not have to be raw food advocate to incorporate mindful eating. This site is intended as a primer to educate all about natural alive gourmet and whole foods. Check out Alissa Cohen ‘s revised nutrition info on her website.